In England and Wales, probate has two separate costs: the court application fee, which is £526 if the estate is worth over £5,000 (nothing if it is £5,000 or less), and professional fees if you use an accountant, solicitor or probate specialist to help administer the estate. Professional fees vary far more than the court fee, depending on whether the firm charges hourly, a fixed fee, or a percentage of the estate, and on how complex the estate actually is. Correct as at 11 October 2026.
What is the court fee for probate?
The probate application fee is set by law and charged by HM Courts and Tribunals Service, not by whichever firm helps you apply. As confirmed on gov.uk's probate fees page, the fee is £526 for estates worth more than £5,000, and there is no application fee for estates of £5,000 or less (checked 10 October 2026). Extra copies of the probate document cost £2 each when ordered with an application that pays the £526 fee or the £22 second-application fee, or £16 each if you order them after you have applied, useful if you need to send them to several organisations at once. If probate has already been granted and you need to make a second application, for example as an executor coming off "power reserved", the fee is £22.
| Fee | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Probate application fee | £526 | Estates worth more than £5,000 |
| Application fee | £0 | Estates of £5,000 or less |
| Extra copies of the grant | £2 each | Ordered with an application that pays the £526 or £22 fee |
| Extra copies later | £16 each | Ordered after you have applied |
| Second application | £22 | Where a second grant is needed, whatever the estate's value |
This court fee is the same whether you apply yourself or through a professional, and it is separate from, and usually much smaller than, any professional fee for handling the estate.
Why older guides still say £300
The application fee was previously £300. HM Courts and Tribunals Service now charges £526, as confirmed on gov.uk (checked 10 October 2026). Any probate cost total quoted before the change understates today's court fee by £226, so check the date on whatever guide you are reading, this one included.
How do professional fees for probate work?
Firms that help administer an estate generally charge in one of three ways, and it is worth understanding the difference before you compare quotes.
| Fee model | How it works | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly rate | You are charged for the actual time spent, at rates that usually vary by seniority of the person doing the work | Transparent if the firm shows you the rates and gives regular updates on time spent; harder to estimate the total cost upfront |
| Fixed fee | A single agreed price for the whole administration, sometimes tiered by estate type | Easier to budget for, but check exactly what is and is not included, and what happens if the estate turns out to be more complex than expected |
| Percentage of the estate | A fee calculated as a percentage of the estate's value, sometimes with a minimum charge | The fee rises with the value of the estate even where the work involved does not, which can make this the most expensive model for larger, simpler estates |
What actually drives the cost of an estate?
The size of the estate is not, on its own, what makes probate expensive. Complexity is. A modest estate with several properties, overseas assets, a business interest, or disputes between beneficiaries can take far longer to administer than a larger but simpler one.
Three things tend to drive cost more than anything else: whether Inheritance Tax forms are required and how complex the estate's valuation is, how many assets and property interests need to be identified, valued and dealt with, and how straightforward the family situation is, since disagreements between beneficiaries or missing paperwork both add time. An estate with a single property, a couple of savings accounts and a clear will is usually quick to administer. An estate with a rental portfolio, shares in a private company, or assets that need tracing takes longer, whatever the total value turns out to be.
What does Vision Consulting charge?
We can offer a fixed fee for full estate administration of a simple estate, from £1,950 plus VAT (£2,340 including VAT). By a simple estate we mean one with a valid will, one property in the UK, bank and savings accounts, no inheritance tax to pay and no full inheritance tax account (form IHT400) to prepare, and executors and beneficiaries who agree. We agree the fixed fee after an initial conversation about the estate, before any work starts. More than one property or assets abroad, a business or private company shares to value, assets or beneficiaries to trace, no valid will, inheritance tax to pay or an IHT400 to prepare, and executors or beneficiaries who do not agree can all increase the fee.
Otherwise we charge by the hour, with rates from £150 to £450 plus VAT per hour (£180 to £540 including VAT) depending on the seniority of the person carrying out the work, and you can ask at any point how much time has been spent and what remains. We do not charge a percentage of the estate. Court fees and other disbursements are paid on top in either case. Our probate page sets out what each fee covers.
We are licensed by the ICAEW for non-contentious probate (probate reference C004563153, viewable at icaew.com/probate), which means we can handle the legal process of applying for the grant of probate and administering straightforward estates. We do not handle contested or disputed estates, and we work alongside your solicitor where a dispute or a legal issue outside probate arises.
Worked example
Example. Sarah is the executor of her late father's estate. He lived in England all his life and left a valid will, a house worth £240,000 and £50,000 across a current account, a savings account and a cash ISA, £290,000 in total, to Sarah and her two siblings, who agree on everything. He made no gifts in the seven years before he died and had no trusts.
The estate is below the nil-rate band of £325,000 (2026/27), so no inheritance tax is due. It is also a low value excepted estate, so no IHT400 is needed: the estate's values go in the probate application instead.
The court costs are the same whoever applies: the £526 application fee and six copies of the grant ordered with the application at £2 each, £538 in total. An estate of this shape is what we mean by a simple estate, so our fixed fee for it would start from £1,950 plus VAT (£2,340 including VAT), agreed before any work starts. With the court costs, the total would start from £2,878, before any other disbursements such as a deceased estates notice in The Gazette (£96.55 plus VAT when placed online, 2026 price list).
Had the estate included a rental property in France, a business interest needing a formal valuation, or a disagreement between the siblings over specific bequests, it would not be a simple estate. Each of those adds work, so the fee would be higher whichever fee model was used. The complexity, not the headline fee structure, drives the cost.
How long does probate typically take?
GOV.UK's guidance states that probate is usually granted within 12 weeks of submitting the application, though this can take longer for paper applications or where HMCTS needs further information. This figure is reviewed periodically by HMCTS, so it is worth checking the current position at the point you apply rather than relying on a fixed number indefinitely. Time from death to a fully wound-up estate is normally longer than the 12-week grant figure, since valuing assets, settling any Inheritance Tax, and distributing the estate all happen around that point, not instantly once the grant arrives.
What this means in practice
Working out roughly how complex your estate is, how many properties and account types are involved, whether Inheritance Tax forms are likely to be needed, is something you can do yourself before you approach any firm, and it will help you compare quotes meaningfully.
Ask any firm you are considering to explain its fee model clearly, including what is and is not included, and to give you a sense of likely total cost based on the estate you describe, not just a headline hourly rate or percentage. If beneficiaries disagree, or if you suspect a dispute may arise, tell any firm this upfront, since it changes both the scope of straightforward probate work and whether the estate needs input from a solicitor.
Our probate page sets out our fee structure and how we work in more detail, and our guide to an executor's first 30 days covers what happens before probate is even applied for, which is often where the early time and cost is spent.
If lifetime gifts are part of the picture, the 7 year rule on gifts explains what still counts, and our Inheritance Tax calculator shows the potential IHT position before probate begins.
If you are deciding who should handle the estate, see whether an accountant or a solicitor is the better fit.
A note on scope
Vision Consulting is licensed by the ICAEW for non-contentious probate in England and Wales. We handle the tax and administrative side of straightforward estates. We do not handle contested probate or disputes between beneficiaries, and we work alongside your solicitor where a dispute or contested matter arises. We also prepare wills, including mirror wills, with inheritance tax and your wider estate position in mind, so the will works as part of your tax planning. Will writing is separate from our probate licence.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. There is no probate application fee if the estate is worth £5,000 or less (a second application costs £22 whatever the estate's value). Above that, the fee is a flat £526, regardless of how large the estate is.
Not necessarily, and the two answer different questions. An hourly rate charges for the work the estate actually needs, so on some estates it can come to less. A fixed fee is agreed at the start for the estate as described to us. We can offer a fixed fee for a simple estate, from £1,950 plus VAT (£2,340 including VAT), agreed after an initial conversation, and charge by the hour otherwise. Which suits your estate is what the first conversation is for.
Yes, many people do, particularly for simpler estates. You would still pay the £526 court fee if the estate qualifies for one, but no professional fee. Larger or more complex estates, or ones needing Inheritance Tax forms, are where professional help is usually worth the cost.
Some firms use a percentage model because it is simple to quote and can reflect the value and responsibility involved in administering a larger estate. It can, however, mean the fee rises even where the actual work does not, which is worth checking against an hourly or fixed-fee alternative.
Getting the grant of probate itself usually takes around 12 weeks from application, but the full administration, valuing assets, paying any Inheritance Tax, settling debts and distributing the estate, typically takes longer, and depends heavily on how complex the estate is.
Talk to us about your estate
If you are dealing with a recent bereavement and would like help with the estate, get in touch. The first conversation is about understanding what the estate involves, not asking you to commit to anything. Call 020 8554 2135 or email info@visionconsulting.co.uk, or get in touch via our contact page.
By the Vision Consulting team.
This is general information, not advice. Your position depends on your circumstances. Speak to us before acting on anything here.